WSGA stays busy with local and international dealings

The Wyoming Stock Growers Association has had a busy year, as Jim Magagna, Executive Vice President told attendees Nov. 20, at the 2018 Southeast Wyoming Beef Production Convention in Torrington, Wyo.

The organization has made new friends in Washington D.C., working on regulatory and policy changes, such as Waters of the U.S. and transportation regulations, with hours of service for livestock haulers.

“We’ve also been working on trade in southeast Asia,” said Magagna. “I’ve had the opportunity to travel to Taiwan, twice now with the governor (Matt Mead).”

The WSGA and Governor Mead have had meetings with both government agencies and importers of beef, to talk about the growing demand of consumers for U.S beef.

“With a branded product, because of the association, we have with us being the ‘Cowboy State.’ We had the opportunity a couple of months ago to open up a trade office in Taiwan,” Magagna said.

The demand side taking beef to southeast Asia is the easy part. The challenging aspect is providing the product. The beef processing facilities in Wyoming are smaller than what is needed to supply beef to Taiwan.

“To get some initial product over there, right now, we’ve been having animals processed in Colorado and shipped,” he said.

The trade dealings are a work in progress. Magagna hopes to see the deal bring economic benefits to not just producers, but the state as a whole.